Think of all the gifts and graces and blessings we have
received from God. They are too numerous to list them all. We received the gift
of life, family, friends, work, education, home, and all the conveniences of
life. We can move up to a higher level of appreciation. We have received the
gift of faith, forgiveness of our sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection,
continuing relationship with Jesus through Mass and the sacraments, prayer, and
the Sacred Scriptures, the gift of his mother Mary as our spiritual mother also.
How much do we value each of the blessings we have received? What do we make of
what God has given to us? Are we selfish and lazy with what God has given to us
or do we put it to good use?

St. Gregory the Great (Homily 18 of Forty Homilies)
interpreted the parable taught by Jesus in today’s Gospel (Matt 25:14-30) in
this way. He saw the man who went on a journey as Jesus. That
journey was Jesus’ ascension to heaven. Now Jesus is in heaven and while we
await his Second Coming we have each been given talents to make good use of by
the Lord. We will all face a judgment and we will be judged by our use of the
gifts we received. [end St. Gregory’s interpretation] In the parable we can see
those who made good use of their talents being judged well, “Come, share your
master’s joy” (Matt 25:21,23) The one who did not put the talents to good use
suffered at the judgment, “throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” (Matt 25:30) We can imagine
the shock for him. He had been lazy and made up excuses, “I heard you were a
hard man….” Do we make up excuses instead of doing what we ought to?

There is always a link between the first reading and the
Gospel. Something in the first reading is fulfilled or reflected in the Gospel.
The worthy or perfect wife in the first reading (Prov 31) is someone who
received many talents and as we heard she put them all to good use. As a result,
“Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize.” (Prov 31:11)

The second reading (1 Thes 5:1-6) urges us to be ready for
judgment. One way of being ready for judgment is to use the talents well as
Jesus taught in the Gospel.

I would like to see the talents in the parable taught by
Jesus (Matt 25:14-30) referring to virtues. A virtue is a good habit built up
over time by practicing what is good. Therefore a virtue is something that
increases as we do the right thing. Just as virtues increase by doing good,
virtues also help us to do good. Virtues help us to control our passions and our
conduct. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says virtues “make possible ease,
self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life” and they “are acquired by
human effort.” (Catechism §1804) In other words, just as the first two men in the
parable worked to increase their talents we also have to work to increase our
virtues. Virtues do not increase if we do nothing. There are four main human
virtues and we call them human virtues for the simple reason that they “are
acquired by human effort.” (Catechism §1804), by education and perseverance. The
four are prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance (see Catechism §§1803-1811).

Prudence helps us discern what is truly good
in every circumstance.

Justice is giving to God and
neighbor what is their due.

Fortitude is being firm during
difficulties and constantly wanting what is good.

Temperance helps us to
moderate pleasure and balance our consumption of goods.

In the parable the first two men traded and
doubled their talents. With the human virtues we can double our talents:

Prudence guides our conscience as we make
judgments.

Justice promotes harmony in
relationships.

Fortitude helps us to conquer
fear so that if necessary we can even face trials and persecutions.

Temperance helps us to master
our will and keep our desires within what is honorable.

That really is a doubling of the
talents.

There are three theological virtues. (see Catechism
§§1812-1829) These virtues are
poured into us by God so we call them theological virtues. They are faith, hope
and charity.

Faith is believing all that God has said and
revealed to us and that the Church proposes to us because God is truth.

Hope is desiring heaven and
eternal life.

Charity is loving God above
all things, and loving our neighbor for the sake of God.

In the parable the first two men traded and
doubled their talents. With the theological virtues we open ourselves up to God
and his activity in our lives:

As we grow in faith, hope and charity we grow in
God's image and likeness. That is a doubling of the talents.

There is yet one more way I like to look at the talents in
the parable. When we were confirmed the bishop prayed that we receive the seven
gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is the bishop’s prayer: “Give them the Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of right judgment and courage, the Spirit
of knowledge and reverence. Fill them with the Spirit of wonder and awe in your
presence.” In the parable the first two men traded and doubled their talents.
When we are open to the action of the Holy Spirit in our lives we can produce
the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.
(Catechism §§1830-1832)

The first two men in the parable doubled their talents.
The third man buried his talent and so it was taken from him. It is like that
with the virtues. We are either growing in virtue or vice. We do not stand
still. It is like a scales or balance. The more virtues we have the less vices
we have, and the more vices we have the less virtues we have. Likewise we can
allow the gifts of the Holy Spirit to lie dormant or we can cooperate and allow
the Holy Spirit to bear fruits in our lives. Surely the parable teaches us that
salvation is not simply a question of “once saved, always saved” or once you
confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior then everything is okay from then okay.
Surely the parable is teaching us that spiritual growth is ongoing for the rest
of our lives. It is not a question of once saved, always saved, but growing in
virtue and fruits of the spirit for the rest of our lives. Let us double the talents,
increasing our virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance. Let us
allow the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity open us up ever more to
God and his activity in our lives and let us allow the gifts of the Holy Spirit
to bear fruits in our lives so that we may be worthy to hear, “Come, share your
master’s joy” (Matt 25:21,23)